Bio

Dr. Robert van Woesik has been studying coral reefs for over 35 years. Since 2009, van  Woesik has been the Director of the Institute for Global Ecology at Florida Tech. Van Woesik has published broadly, and has written over 180 scientific papers. Most recently the van Woesik lab is focused on the effects of ocean warming because of climate change. Ocean warming and sea-level rise threaten the very existence of many coral-reef species, which in turn influence the human societies that rely on these marine resources. There is nothing more urgent for contemporary science than to provide answers to key questions on the effects of climate change on marine organisms. Some of the key questions that need urgent answers are: 1) Where will reef organisms exist in under a rapidly changing climate? 2) Which reef organisms will tolerate climate change and why? 3) Where will coral reefs keep up with sea level rise? 4) What influence does local land-use change play in coral reefs keeping up with sea-level rise? and 5) Which coral-reef organisms will be tolerant of and potentially adapt to climate change and why? The van Woesik lab is working to provide answers to these questions.